When using the Data Guard Broker, you don’t need to set any LOG_ARCHIVE_* parameter for the databases that are part of your Data Guard configuration. The broker is doing that for you. Forget about what you may have heard about VALID_FOR – you don’t need that with the broker. Actually, setting any of the LOG_ARCHIVE_* parameters with an enabled broker configuration might even confuse the broker and lead to warning or error messages. Let’s look at a typical example about the redo log transport mode. There is a broker configuration enabled with one primary database prima and one physical standby physt. The broker config files are mirrored on each site and spfiles are in use that the broker (the DMON background process, to be precise) can access:

The single most important factor for successful digital learning is the attitude both of the instructor as well as of the attendees towards the course format. Delivery of countless Live Virtual Classes (LVCs) for Oracle University made me realize that. There are technical prerequisites of course: A reliable and fast network connection and the usage of a good headset is mandatory, else the participant is doomed from the start. Other prerequisites are the same as for traditional courses: Good course material, working lab environment for hands on practices and last not least knowledgeable instructors. For that part notice that we have the very same courseware, lab environments and instructors like for our classroom courses at Oracle University education centers also for LVCs.

This a a little discovery from my present Oracle Database 12c New Features course in Copenhagen: The default setting for Controlfile Autobackup has changed to ON – but only for Multitenant, apparently:

It is quite often that I encounter attendees in my Oracle University courses that strive to become OCP or sometimes even OCM, asking me whether they should better go for an older versions certificate before they take on the most recent. The reasoning behind those questions is mostly that it may be easier to do it with the older version. My advise is then always: Go for the most recent version! No Oracle Certification exam is easy, but the older versions certificate is already outdated. The now most recent one will become outdated also sooner as you may think :-)